• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.243-257
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• 2023

This study was conducted to investigate the distribution characteristics, source identification, and health risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) present in particulate matter 10 (PM-10), in Gwangju. PM-10 samples were collected from September 2021 to August 2022 from three sampling sites, one located in each of the following areas: green, residential, and industrial. The average concentrations of PAHs were found to be higher in the industrial area (9.75±6.51 ng/㎥) than in the green (6.90±2.41 ng/㎥) and residential (6.74±2.38 ng/㎥) areas. Throughout the year and across all sites, five-ring PAHs accounted for the largest proportion (29.8-34.5%) of all PAHs. The concentrations of PAHs showed distinct seasonal variations, with the highest concentration observed in winter, followed by autumn, spring, and summer. Source apportionment analyses were performed using diagnostic ratios and principal component analyses, which indicated that coal/biomass combustion and vehicle emissions were the primary sources of PAHs in PM-10. The incremental lifetime cancer risk was estimated for all age groups at all sampling sites, and the results revealed a much lower risk level than the standard acceptable risk level (1×10^-6).

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.545-564
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• 2016

Recently as fine and ultra fine particles become major environmental issues in Korea, it is very important to develop effective solutions to air pollution. Accordingly this study aims at detecting causes of air pollution by using models and examining if diesel price increases contribute to reduction of diesel consumption and air pollution. TSP, PM10, $NO_X$, $SO_X$, CO, and VOC are included as major air pollutants. As a result, we found invert U shape curve between pollution and income for all air pollutants except CO. Consumer price index, coal power capacity, diesel consumption, frequency of yellow dust, number of natural gas buses, number of transport business, annual average temperature, number of manufacturing businesses are also influential in explaining causes of air pollution. As diesel price increases by 1%, air pollutants decline between 0.07~0.12% in the short run. Simultaneously, the additional revenue from increases in diesel prices might be transferred to support expansion of biofuel market. Also, stronger policy should be developed to mitigate the current air pollution problem.

• Clean Technology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.95-104
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• 2013

Onsan Industrial Complex located in a nearby the Ulsan Petrochemical Complex and in the east of the coast. For this reason, air pollution substances emitted by Onsan Industrial Complex especially tend to have an effect on meteorological factors such as sea breeze. In this study, we assessed the frequency of sea breeze and mist using the meteorological data, and analyzed potential temperature and upper wind condition for assessment of atmospheric pollution concentration influenced by meteorological phenomena in a nearby the Onsan industrial complex. From an analysis results, when mist and sea breeze happened, each higher concentration phenomenon of $PM_{10}$ and $SO_2$ appeared each 57.2%, 71.8% and 46.6%, 57.7% respectively. Hence, we confirmed that meteorological phenomena such as mist and sea breeze had an effect on high concentration of air pollution substances in the research area. Analytical result of meteorological data in upper layer using potential temperature and wind condition, we confirmed that advection of air pollution substances emitted in Ulsan Petrochemical Complex by sea breeze have an effect on high concentration in Onsan Industrial Complex and nearby the residential area. In particular;concentration in Onsan Industrial Complex were higher than the average concentration by a factor of more than over 1.5 times when sea breeze by stable condition in atmospheric layer appeared.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.7-15
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• 2013

Aerosol characterization study for individual particle in Busan metropolitan industrial complex was carried out from December 2010 to August 2011. SEM(scanning electron microscope)-EDX(energy dispersive x-ray) analysis was used for the analysis of 600 single particles during the sampling periods to identify non-metallic aerosol particle sources. Average $PM_{10}$ concentration was 65.5 ${\mu}g/m^3$ in summer, 104.1 ${\mu}g/m^3$ in winter during the sample periods. And Average $PM_{2.5}$ concentration was 24.5 ${\mu}g/m^3$ in summer, 64.5 ${\mu}g/m^3$ in winter individually. Particle density, enrichment factor, correlation analysis, principle component analysis were performed based on chemical composition data. Particle density distribution was measured to 2~4 $g/cm^3$, and the density of $PM_{2.5}$ was measured above 3 $g/cm^3$. In general, the elements Si, Ca, Fe and Al concentrations were higher in all samples of individual particles. The non-ferrous elements Zn, Br, Pb, Cu concentrations were higher in summer than in winter. The concentrations were not changed with the seasons because of non-ferrous industry emission pattern.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.20 no.2 s.49
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• pp.179-186
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• 2005

Particulate materials (PM) less than 10 ${\mu}m$ in diameter are of special interest in air pollution because they are respirable and responsible for the increasing mortality rate of lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases. These particles are often referred to as $PM_{10}$ and they are divided into a coarse fraction and a fine fraction which is also often referred to as $PM_{25}$. In this study, we monitored the TSP, $PM_{10},\;PM_{2.5}$ concentration of ambient air collected in northern part of Seoul in early spring and measured the concentration of heavy metals; Cr, Mn, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb. All the heavy metals were found in the collected particles and the concentrations were variable in the $PM_{10},\;and\;PM_{2.5}$ respectively. The detected concentration ranges were Cr: $ND\~2,889ng/m^3,\;Mn:2.4\~257.9ng/m^3,\;Zn:ND\~353.7ng/m^3,\; As:ND\~22.3ng/m^3,\;Cd:0.1\~2.9ng/m^3,\;and\;Pb:ND\~392.2ng/m^3$ in fine particles. Heavy metal toxicity of the particles were also tested in $H_9C_2$ cell line derived from rat cardiomyocytes. As for the results of health risk assessment calculated by unit risk of IRIS, heavy metals in ambient air of Seoul metropolitan area were found to be responsible for the increase of total excess cancer risk. Among them, chromium (hexavalent) was found to be the most risky in fine particles of ambient air collected in the northern part of Seoul in early spring.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1069-1078
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• 2022

This study investigated the weather conditions, fine particle concentration, and ion components in PM_2.5 when two cold fronts passed through Busan in succession on February 1 and 2, 2021. A analysis of the surface weather chart, AWS, and backward trajectory revealed that the first cold front passed through the Busan at 0900 LST on February 1, 2021, with the second cold front arriving at 0100 LST on February 2, 2021. According to the PM₁₀ concentration of the KMA, the timing of the cold front passage had a close relationship with the occurrence of the highest concentration of fine particles. The transport time of the cold front from Baengnyeongdo to Mt. Gudeok was approximately 11 hours . The PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 concentrations in Busan started to increase after the first cold front had passed, and the maximum concentration occurred two hours after the second cold front passed. The SO₄^2-, NO₃^-, and NH₄⁺ concentration in PM_2.5 started to increase from 1100 to 1200 LST on February 1, after the first cold front passed, and peaked at 0100 LST to 0300 LST on February 2. However, the highest Ca²⁺ concentration was recorded 2-3 hours after the second cold front had passed.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.93-98
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• 2020

This study examined the particulate removal performance of three different types of air filters inside a heat exchanger. Of interest was the ability of each filter type in reducing the transmission of outdoor particulate matter of PM10 from entering an apartment while the heat exchanger was in operation. The study tested one commonly used medium filter (E11 grade) and two HEPA filters (H13 grade) of different thicknesses. Two different concentrations of particulate matter were used in the experiment to address different ambient air quality conditions in Korea, 32.75 ㎍/㎥ and 67.26 ㎍/㎥. Study results indicated that under the particulate matter concentration of 32.75 ㎍/㎥, all three filters were capable of removing more than 95% of the fine dust. However at a particulate matter concentration of 67.26 ㎍/㎥, the medium E11 grade filter was only able to remove about 90% of the particulates whereas the HEPA H13 grade filters were able to remove 95% or more of the particulates. The thicker HEPA filter (40T) was also more effective in removing particulates than the thinner HEPA filter (20T) by about 1.6 to 3 percentage points. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that HEPA filters of 20T thickness or greater be used during the high air pollution seasons of winter and spring in Korea while medium filters can be used during the other seasons to reduce outdoor air pollution transmission indoors.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.779-786
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• 2008

This study was performed to evaluate the characteristics of current air quality and to examine the monthly and yearly variation of $SO_2,\;O_3,\;CO,\;NO_2$, and fine particulate matter(PM-10) concentration in Seosan for the period of 1998-2006. During the recent 3 years, from 2004 to 2006, the yearly mean concentration of $SO_2,\;NO_2$, and PM-10 remained stability but CO and $O_3$ are gradually decreased. The monthly mean concentration of $NO_2$, CO, and $SO_2$ were high in the winter season and decreased steadily to the summer season, but the maximum concentration of $O_3$ and PM-10 appeared in the springtime. The number of days exceeding 24-hour standards for PM-10 were 54 times at Dokgodri and 25 times at Dongmundong. The number of sampling days exceeding the 1-hour and 8-hour standards for $O_3$ were 68 and 210 times at Dongmundong and at Dokgotri 93 and 213 times, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.898-904
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• 2021

This experimental study aims to investigate the use of a wet electrostatic precipitator as a post-treatment device to satisfy the strict emission regulations for sulfur oxides and particulate matter (PM). The inlet/outlet of a wet electrostatic precipitator was installed in a funnel using a marine four-stroke diesel engine (STX-MAN B&W) consuming marine heavy fuel oil (HFO) with a sulfur content of about 2.1%. Measurements were then obtained at the outlet of the wet electrostatic precipitator; an optical measuring instrument (OPA-102), and the weight concentration measurement method (Method 5 Isokinetic Train) were used for the PM measurements and the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR; DX-4000) approach was used for the sulfur oxide measurements. The experimenst were conducted by varying the engine load from 50%, to 75% and 100%; it was noted that the PM reduction efficiency was a high at about 94 to 98% under all load conditions. Additionally, during the process of lowering the exhaust gas temperature in the quenching zone of the wet electrostatic precipitator, the sulfur dioxide (SO₂) values reduced because of the cleaning water, and the reduction rate was confirmed to be 55% to 81% depending on the engine load.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.249-255
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• 2020

Particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 μM (PM_2.5) is one of the major environmental pollutants. Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), an endocrine disrupting chemical in PM_2.5, has been utilized for the manufacturing of polyvinyl chloride to increase the flexibility of final products. In the present study, we investigated the ecotoxicological effect of DEHP on the viability of skin keratinocytes (HaCaT). DEHP induced apoptotic cell death mediated by phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase through the production of intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). Interestingly, we found that DEHP induces the phosphorylation of the nuclear factor-kappa B responsible for the expression of cleaved caspase-3 as an executional cell death protease in HaCaT cells. On the basis of these results, we suggest that DEHP in PM_2.5 induces the apoptotic death of human keratinocytes via ROS-mediated signaling events.